Episode:Innocent Blood
| image = Innocent Blood.jpg | date = October 6, 1996 | ep_num = 5 (Season) 5 (Overall) | writer = Bob Forward | director = Rich Trueblood | guest = Richard Grieco (Ghost Rider) | prev = Helping Hand, Iron Fist | next = Man to Man, Beast to Beast }} Ghost Rider is hot on Hulk's tail seeking vengeance for the innocent after a small town is destroyed. But when the green giant is poisoned, the only way to save him is to make him angrier than he has ever been. Can even Ghost Rider with all his demonic powers be prepared for what awaits? Story Ride of the Ghost Somewhere, firefighters are hosing down an enormous blaze in a ruined building. On top of a hill from the other side of a nearby cemetery, a man on a motorcycle rides up and stops. He takes off his helmet revealing his unshaven face. He looks down to survey the damage and sees another man on a motorcycle. The second man, Rick Jones, rides up to a fireman and takes off his helmet. The firefighter tells him to move on saying there is nothing left for anybody. Rick asks him what happened. The firefighter gravely tells him that the Hulk destroyed their town. Rick puts on his helmet and rides away. The other man watches him go then puts on his helmet. He then rides down the hill. He puts his hand on a small pendant on his motorcycle and his hand begins to light on fire and smoke. He moves his hand away as his whole hand is engulfed in flames. While on a nearby bridge, Rick looks in his rearview mirror and sees someone on a motorcycle on fire. He stops and turns around to help. The flaming man speeds by him causing Rick to fall off his bike and off the bridge. As Rick nears the bottom of the chasm, the flaming man whips a chain out and catches him. He is pulled back up to the safety of the bridge. Rick turns to see the man, who appears as a skull surrounded by flames. The wheels of his cycle are also covered in flames. The man, who calls himself the Ghost Rider, says that his mission is not with the innocent Rick but with a "savage destroyer." Ghost Rider whips the chain around pulling the chain into his hand. The figure turns his cycle to speed off. Rick kneels by Ghost Rider's tracks and notices that it contains sulfur or, as it is known in the Bible, brimstone. Rick puts on his helmet, gets on his bike, and follows towards the nearby city of Chicago. Past Sins In a Soup Kitchen, Dr. Bruce Banner sits alone as do several other homeless men. Bruce speaks into a recorder. He explains that just yesterday he was in a small town nearby. However, the locals didn't like strangers and harassed them. He explains that he tried to warn them when his eyes begin to glow green. He calms himself and goes on. Just then the nun Rose Erak interrupts giving him a cup of coffee. She says that while the coffee may not be great, she would listen to his problems. Bruce says he is fine, but then realizes she is trying to close the kitchen. She tells him he can stay as long as he likes and walks away. Bruce stares into the coffee then sees the angry face of his alter ego. He then pushes the cup away. In the kitchen, the nun is humming Amazing Grace as she is bagging the trash. As she walks away, a boiling pot suddenly blows its lid off and steam comes out of a water pipe. As Bruce stands, an explosion sends him flying forward. He hears the nun screaming and calls out to her. Elsewhere, she is calling out for help as she is trapped by debris and flames. Bruce tries to get to her but is knocked down by a falling beam. He calls out to her again as he transforms into the Hulk. Hulk stands and punches the beam away. He hears the nun screaming and punches his away through a table, column, and door to her. The woman is shocked to see the green giant standing there amongst the flames. Too Many Heroes Her calls are heard by Ghost Rider passing by on an overpass. He stops his bike and listens. He sees the soup kitchen in flames and believes that Hulk is hurting more innocents. Ghost Rider speeds off, doing a wheelie off the overpass and leaving a trail of flames behind. In the kitchen, the nun begs for help. Hulk clears debris to get to her. Just then, Ghost Rider drops down in front of him. Ghost Rider tells him that his reign of terror is over then shoots fire from his hand knocking Hulk out of the building and into a car. Hulk sits up to see Ghost Rider riding out of the building carrying the nun. Hulk tries to stand but Ghost Rider again blasts him back. He lands on the other side of a building and stands to see a police and ambulance driving towards him. When he's caught in a helicopter's spotlight, Hulk runs away not wanting to hurt any of them. Back at the kitchen, Ghost Rider sets the nun down. She cries out so he returns to his normal human form. He comforts her saying that the monster is gone. He looks up saying that the Hulk's judgement has come. Angel of Death In the desert at Gamma Base, Betty Ross and Doc Samson are testing a Tranquilizer Ray in the attempt to cure Bruce of Hulk. Betty notes that the mutagenics are subdued but still rupturing while footage of DNA is being unwound. She tells Samson that Bruce would never survive this process. Samson wonders why gamma mutated blood reacts to tranquilizers that way. General Thaddeus Ross and Major Glenn Talbot enter. Ross tells them that Hulk is rampaging along the Chicago lakefront. He asks if the tranq ray is working. Samson tells him that it is lethal. Glenn smiles saying that it is working. Betty notes that Glenn isn't winning her heart. She then orders her father not to use the ray. Ross is angry but relents. He orders the tranq ray to be put on hold while Betty and Samson come up with a better containment system for Hulk. As the two walk off, Ross orders Glenn to go to the "Windy City" with the tranq ray. Glenn smiles and happily agrees. Neither notice a small mechanical bug hovering in the room. On a monitor, Leader watches Glenn take the tranq ray off its stand and walk away with it. He calls Glenn and Ross puppets. He then calls out to Gargoyle. Gargoyle pushes a computer monitor over a small ledge complaining about Leader. He claims that he found Dr. Banner's lab first so it should be his. He hates that Leader came in afterwards and is ordering him around. As he gets the monitor over the edge it crashes into more electronics below. Then he hears Leader's calls. Leader orders him to send his surveillance bugs into Chicago to look for Hulk. He wants to find the brute before the military does since he feels Hulk's powers belong to him. Gargoyle mocks Leader's line just as he says it. Outside, surveillance bugs fly out into the night. High above, Glenn flies in a helicopter towards Chicago. Most Dangerous Game Back at the kitchen, a police officer is getting a statement from the nun, who is on a gurney being tended to by paramedics. She explains that a green giant tried to help her but a boy on a cycle saved her. She wonders why the flames did not hurt the boy. Rick overhears while in a nearby alley. He kneels down and smells more sulfur. He realizes that Ghost Rider means to go after the Hulk. He believes that if the two ever fought it would destroy the city. Elsewhere, the man is riding his cycle as he transforms into Ghost Rider. He races around the city as helicopters fly overhead. Hulk lands in a street and is spotted by two helicopters. They order him not to move, but Hulk grabs a nearby mailbox and throws it at them. It hits Unit Two who flies away to safety. Three others continue to follow Hulk who runs into an alley. Glenn's copter flies in and he orders the police to evacuate. As they head out, Glenn pats the tranq ray saying that he will take the Hulk on himself. Back at Gamma Base, Betty yells at her father for taking the tranq ray. He explains that he can do whatever he wants with whatever he's got to fight the Hulk. Betty goes to a terminal and orders Samson to get into a copter since they are leaving for Chicago. She hopes she is not too late and walks off. Ross quietly apologizes. Race to the Hulk Back in Chicago, copters continue to circle the sky. Rick crashes his bike through a door onto a rooftop. He looks down and sees police cars cordoning off the area. He rides back to the door and turns back to the street. He speeds up and does a wheelie off the roof. He lands past the police barricades. He turns to look and sees Ghost Rider racing past the officers. As Ghost Rider speeds past him, Rick complains how much easier Ghost Rider got past the cops than he did. At a dump, Hulk stands atop a pile of cars scaring an orange cat. He looks around and believes that his enemies are gone. He leaps away. Grey Area Ghost Rider rides up to the dump's fence saying that Hulk will know vengeance. Rick rides up blocking him saying to stop pursuing his friend. Ghost Rider warns him not to interfere. Rick demands to know why he should punish Hulk. Ghost Rider states that there is a "grave injustice" around Hulk and innocents will be hurt. Rick yells at him saying that Hulk is the one suffering injustice. Ghost Rider tells him that if Rick gets in his way he will suffer the same punishment as Hulk. Rick gets off his bike and grabs Ghost Rider's handlebars. He tells Ghost Rider that Hulk doesn't want to hurt anyone and just wants to be left alone. Ghost Rider is shocked that the Ghost Flames of his bike did not hurt his hands. He realizes that Rick must be pure at heart and mean what he says. However, Ghost Rider's mission is still the same and he must stop innocents from dying. Rick goes to his fallen cycle and grabs his helmet. He tells Ghost Rider that if Hulk is about to hurt an innocent person then he will stop him. He gets on the back of Ghost Rider's cycle and tells him to go. Ghost Rider smashes through the fence and the two ride off going up the pile of cars and leaping off the top. Party Crashers On top of a large building, Hulk sits on the ledge looking out over the city. He doesn't notice the surveillance bug flying behind him. In Banner's old lab, Leader and Gargoyle watch him. He orders Gargoyle to move the bug in closer to get a sample of Hulk's hair. He wants to use the DNA make an army of gamma-powered soldiers. As the bug flies closer, Hulk reaches out and crushes it. Just then Glenn's copter shines its light on him. He tells the Hulk to stand still while he aims the tranq ray. Hulk leaps up and grabs the copter's strut. Glenn falls out and lands on the roof below and the tranq ray lands next to him. As Hulk struggles with the copter, Ghost Rider and Rick ride up and see him. Ghost Rider believes he is hurting another innocent. Rick points out that the Hulkbusters aren't that innocent to begin with. High above, the copter crashes into the building and smashes through several floors. The copter stops and Hulk stands. Glenn enters a door from the roof and begins to head downstairs. Hulk wanders around an apartment and pulls a picture of a woman off the wall. He looks at it thinking it is Betty. The Bigger They Are In another copter, Betty looks at a screen then tells Samson that Glenn's copter's beacon stopped. She doesn't think that its' a good sign. Samson says that it could mean anything and decides to fly to its last coordinates. As Hulk continues to stare at the picture, Glenn sneaks up behind him. He raises the tranq ray and looks through the eyepiece. Ghost Rider and Rick ride up through the streets to the building's front door. As Hulk continues looking at the picture he transforms into Bruce. As Bruce caresses the picture, he becomes Hulk once more then back into Bruce. He turns and sees Glenn with the tranq ray. Glenn fires hitting him in the chest. Bruce drops the picture and transforms into Hulk once again. Hulk begins smashing the building's supports apart. Glenn says that Hulk is going down this time. Ghost Rider and Rick smash through the wall and enter the apartment. Rick screams out but Glenn fires another shot hitting Hulk. Angry, Hulk smashes the building and it begins to fall apart. Ghost Rider grabs Glenn and smashes through a wall. The three fly through the air and land safely on the ground. He throws Glenn onto the street and the tranq ray falls next to him. Rick gets off the cycle while taking off his helmet. Inside, Hulk continues smashing and the building collapses. Involuntary Penance Betty and Samson fly nearby watching it go. She looks through a pair of binoculars to see Rick, Glenn, and the mysterious flaming figure. On the ground, Ghost Rider picks up Glenn and demands to know what he was thinking. Ghost Rider searches into his soul and sees numerous instances of Glenn ruthlessly pursuing and attacking Hulk. Ghost Rider realizes that Hulk in fact the true innocent and his mission was misguided. He warns Glenn that if Hulk dies, the blood will be on his hands. Ghost Rider drops Glenn who begins to sob. He then hears Rick calling out to Bruce. He quickly moves away pieces of the building to find his friend. Bruce hears Rick but can only weakly call out. Ghost Rider realizes that Bruce is the innocent one in all of this. Rick asks Ghost Rider to blast Bruce free. However, Ghost Rider knows that if he does the rubble will shift and kill Bruce. Rick calls out to him saying that he has to get mad and transform. Only Hulk can break his way out without being hurt. Unfortunately, Bruce cannot get worked up and is feeling tired. Ghost Rider tells Rick that if he cannot save himself, perhaps he can save Rick. Rick realizes what he means and begins to cry out to Bruce. Sickness Bruce hears and starts to dig himself out. As Rick continues the act, Bruce gets angry and transforms. Hulk lifts himself out of the rubble and lands next to Rick. Rick is glad to see his friend alive and hugs him. However, Hulk walks away believing that Ghost Rider is his enemy. Ghost Rider admits that he was Hulk's enemy. Hulk tries to punch Ghost Rider, but the flaming hero easily steps out of the way. Hulk then collapses onto one knee. As Betty's copter lands, Rick asks Hulk what is wrong. Hulk tells him he is tired. Betty and Samson run out and approach Glenn. Samson helps him up berating him for using the tranq ray. Glenn rambles on about Hulk's blood on his hands and only following orders. Betty runs over the Hulk and kneels next to him. She demands to know who Ghost Rider is and what he did to Hulk. Ghost Rider explains that she is accusing the wrong person, as he did. Samson helps Glenn into the copter then informs Betty that the major emptied the entire tranq ray into Hulk. She explains to them that the tranquilizer is in full effect. If Hulk becomes Bruce again, it will poison him and he will die. Hulk begins to transform back into Bruce. Rick walks over and Betty begs Hulk not to give up. Ghost Rider walks over from his cycle with a large flame in his hand. He tells them that he will right the wrong of hunting Hulk. The flame becomes his chain whip and he wraps it around Bruce. Betty screams as he pulls Bruce in close. His cycle moves on its own surrounding the two in flames. Betty and Samson shield their eyes from the growing wall of fire. Samson tries to leap through it but is pushed back. Ghost Rider tells Bruce to remember all the injustice, pain, and anger in his life. Bruce flashes back to several times when Hulk is attacked. He then transforms into Hulk and breaks free of Ghost Rider's chain. Cure Outside the fire, Hulk's roar is heard and Ghost Rider comes flying out. Rick runs to Ghost Rider as Hulk fans away the fire. Samson runs up to Hulk and picks him up. He throws Hulk through a building causing it to collapse. As Hulk stands, Samson lands in the dust cloud. Samson looks around and Hulk comes out of the dust to punch him back into a pile of pipes. Ghost Rider rides up and throws a fireball at him. Hulk is knocked back into a wall. Ghost Rider touches the pendant on his cycle giving him another fireball, which he throws at the green giant. Hulk is sent flying backwards into a train car. Samson lifts the car and drops it on Hulk. Betty and Rick run up and are shocked by the battle. Ghost Rider rides up asking if he killed Hulk. Samson tells him he could not. Hulk suddenly flies out of the train car and lands in front of Ghost Rider. He picks up the hero's cycle, with him on it, and tosses it aside. Ghost Rider crashes and his cycle appears to explode. Samson leaps up to attack Hulk but is easily batted away. Samson lands near a pile of beams which collapse on him. Hulk walks away and collapses, saying how tired he is. Betty and Rick run up and she tells him not to fall asleep or stop. However, Hulk collapses onto the ground and begins to transform again calling them his friends. Betty then tells him that they are not friends. She and Rick begin to cry. She says that she is scared of him because he is destructive. She goes on to say that she doesn't love him and hates him. Hulk wonders why she hates him. Betty then buries her face in Rick's chest. Rick continues with saying that Hulk has ruined everybody's life. He says they wish Hulk would leave them alone. Hulk begins to crawl after them. Rick runs away as more of Bruce shows. Betty tells him he is nothing but a monster and she never wants to see him. Both Rick and Betty are weeping. Bruce becomes Hulk once more. Worse Than The Symptoms He yells out and begins smashing the train engine. He lifts it up and smashes it onto the ground. He lifts it again and throws it. Samson approaches Rick and Betty saying that Hulk is burning through the tranquilizers. Hulk stops his smashing and bashing and approaches the three. He says that he is no longer tired, but believes he has no friends. Hulk turns his back to them. Rick tries to tell him that he is wrong and they did not mean any of the things they said. They just said it so he would get mad and save himself. Hulk says he is confused and leaps away. Betty begins to cry and Samson comforts her with the knowledge that they saved his life. Rick laments that they broke his heart. Ghost Rider rides up, on his perfectly fine cycle, telling them what a noble thing they did, having to hurt Hulk's spirit to save his body. He claims it was a true act of friendship and something he could not do. He then tells them that the Hulk's heart will heal. Ghost Rider rides off with the the three watching him go. Neither of them notice the surveillance bug flying by. In his lab, Leader says how he finally got a single hair from Hulk's body with DNA on it. He goes on to say that he will now create an army of gamma-powered soldiers to do his bidding. He congratulates Hulk on being a "father". Elsewhere during a thunderstorm, Hulk sits on a rooftop next to a stone gargoyle. Hulk claims that the stone is lucky since does not get hurt emotionally like he can. Quotes "Better keep moving, kid. There's nothing for you here. Not for anyone. Not anymore." "What happened?" "The Hulk. That beast leveled our town." :-'Fireman' and Rick Jones, first lines of episode "An accident. The Ghost Rider's mission is not with...an innocent, but with a savage destroyer." :-'Ghost Rider', first lines "Holy Ichabod Crane! There's a face to launch a thousand ghost ships." :-'Rick Jones' on Ghost Rider "Sulfur. Or, as the orphanage's good book called it, brimstone. Ooh, bad juju." :-'Rick Jones' "Personal journal, Dr. Bruce Banner, continued. Recorded in a soup kitchen, surrounded by others whose lives have also taken the low road. I find myself here in Chicago. Why, yesterday I was in a beautiful little town not far away. But a town that doesn't much like strangers. And doesn't mind harassing one. I warned them not to...not to push me too hard. That they shouldn't make me angry." :-'Bruce Banner' "Young man. I may not make the best coffee, but I do make a great listener." "Thank you, Sister. I'm okay. Oh, I'm sorry. You're trying to close, aren't you?" "Ssh, you stay just as long as you feel you need to. That's what we're here for." :-'Rose Erak' and Bruce Banner "The Hulk endangers another innocent." :-'Ghost Rider' "Help me! Please..." "Hulk help." :-'Rose Erak' and Hulk "Your reign of terror ends now, beast." :-'Ghost Rider' "Stupid hot head!" :-'Hulk' "Hulk not smash puny humans." :-'Hulk' "Don't worry, Sister. That monster's long gone. He won't hurt you again. Cause his day of judgement has finally come." :-'Daniel Ketch' "What is it about gamma mutated blood that makes it boil when introduced to tranquilizers?" :-'Doc Samson' "Is that tranq ray finally operational?" "No sir. It's still highly lethal." "Eh, sounds like it's working to me." "You sure know the way to a girl's heart, Glenn." :-'Thaddeus Ross', Doc Samson, Glenn Talbot, and Betty Ross "All in the line of duty, eh patriotic puppets." :-'Leader' "Stupid disgusting...This abandoned lab of Banner's is mine! I was the first to claim it. The Leader has no right to come waltzing in here barking orders." :-'Gargoyle' "Go ahead and say it. [Mockingly] So says the Leader!" "So says the Leader!" "Oh! It's like a finger down my throat! Yuck!" :-'Gargoyle' and Leader "And a huge green beast was coming out of the fire to...to help me, I think. Next thing I know, a boy on a motorcycle carried me out. And the flames, they didn't even burn him." :-'Nun', last lines "Attention all police units. Under National Security Action Clearance 4518 you are ordered to withdraw form this pursuit and evacuate from the area immediately." "Copy that. Big boys from the Pentagon have arrived." :-'Glenn Talbot' and Police Officer "Alright Hulk. It's just you, me, and this baby makes three." :-'Glenn Talbot' "Father, how ''dare you! You have no right to appropriate that tranq ray!" "''I had every right, Betty. Wherever and whenever the Hulk shows his ugly hide it becomes a national emergency and I move in with whatever means I have available." :-'Betty Ross' and Thaddeus Ross "If I'm too late, father..." "I'm sorry, Betty. I'm sorry." :-'Betty Ross' and Thaddeus Ross "Uh, great. I risk life, limb, and bike while Mr. Hotstuff there gets past the cops without even sweating a...spark." :-'Rick Jones' "Vengeance has a name, green destroyer. You will know it as the Ghost Rider." "Just back off my friend, bone head." "Heed this warning, fellow rider. Do not impede my mission." "What gives you the right!?" "Grave injustice looms over the Hulk. And innocent victims shall suffer." "If there's any grave injustice in this, it's ''against the Hulk." "''Interfere, and you shall share his penalty." "Hulk never wants to hurt anybody. All he wants is to be left alone!" "Your hands aren't harmed by the ghost flames? This can only mean your heart is pure. But my mission is unchanged. I must prevent the shedding of innocent blood." "Yeah, Mr. Retribution. If the Hulk's about to accidentally hurt someone, I'll stop him. So move your buns. I'm hitching a ride." :-'Ghost Rider' and Rick Jones "Oh, from Mother Russia's leading scientist to a bug jockey." :-'Gargoyle' "Smile, my great wrecking ball." :-'Glenn Talbot' "There. Your innocent Hulk endangers another." "Hey, a Hulkbuster chopper isn't exactly out there to deal out kisses, 'kay." :-'Ghost Rider' and Rick Jones "HULK SMASH! HULK BASH!" "Yeah, Hulk destroy. Heard it all before. Now you're going down." :-'Hulk' and Glenn Talbot "Over there! I see Rick and Glenn and...and...What is that thing?" :-'Betty Ross' "Justify what you have done. I have the truth from your soul. Your relentlessly pursue the Hulk, who is indeed the true innocent. I was misguided. Heed me, if the Hulk is destroyed his blood will be on your hands. And you will pay for it." :-'Ghost Rider' "It all becomes clear now. The innocent blood belongs to Bruce Banner." "Then blast him outta there." "He will not survive the shifting rubble." :-'Ghost Rider' and Rick Jones "Hulk enemy." "I fear the beast is correct. I have been your enemy." :-'Hulk' and Ghost Rider "His blood...I have it on my hands. I was only following orders." :-'Glenn Talbot' "Who are you? What did you do to him!?" "You wrongly accuse. As I have done." :-'Betty Ross' and Ghost Rider "The Ghost Rider seeks to right a terrible wrong for falsely seeking the Hulk. Remember Bruce Banner, the pain, the injustice, the anger. It's all in you. Boiling. Burning. Release the rage." :-'Ghost Rider' "Okay Hulk. Let's burn some high octane adrenaline!" :-'Doc Samson' "You destroyed the beast?" "Yeah right." :-'Ghost Rider' and Doc Samson "No Hulk. Do not stop!" "Betty. Rick. Friends." "No Hulk. We're not friends. I'm frightened of you. You're destructive and...I don't love you. I hate you." "Hate Hulk?" "You've ruined our lives, man! You've ruined everybody's life! We wish you'd just...just go away. Just leave us alone." "No. No. Rick? Betty?" "You're a monster. I never want to see you again. Do you hear me. Never!" "BETTY!" :-'Betty Ross', Hulk, and Rick Jones "Hulk not tired now. Hulk no friends." "Oh oh oh. Hulk. You got it all wrong, buddy. We didn't mean any of it." "It wasn't true. None of it. Please believe me." "We said those things to get you mad. Mad enough to burn off the tranq ray. That's all." "Hulk confused. Hulk go!" :-'Hulk', Rick Jones, and Betty Ross "Oh no." "You had to, to save him Betty." "Yeah, but look at what we did to that big green heart of his." :-'Betty Ross', Doc Samson, and Rick Jones "Your deeds were noble and unselfish. It took a strike to the Hulk's spirit to heal him. An act of love the Ghost Rider could not meet. An act of truest friendship. But fear not, the beast's heart will mend." :-'Ghost Rider', final lines "One hair. A gleaming split end in slice of DNA life that will give birth to an army of my creation. Hulk, congratulations. You are about to become a father." :-'Leader' "Stone lucky. No hurt like Hulk." :-'Hulk', last lines of episode Trivia *The second of six episodes in a row that featured appearances of a character from another Marvel Animated Universe series. *First non-cameo appearance of Ghost Rider. appeared on only as an illusion, on in a very brief shot, and a minor role on . Also the only time his human form is seen. *Though unnamed in either series, Ghost Rider appears to be the Daniel Ketch version of the character based on his appearance and actions, rather than the original Johnny Blaze. *Rick Jones mentions Ichabod Crane from ''The Legend of Sleepy Hollow''. However, there is no flaming head in the original story. He is actually talking about Walt Disney Animation Studios's ''The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad'', which featured a flaming Jack-o'-Lantern. The Walt Disney Company bought Marvel Entertainment in 2009. *The address of the soup kitchen is 285. *The nun is not named in the episode. The credits call her Rose Erak. *Ghost Rider's talk about innocent blood implies that someone died in the small town at the beginning during Hulk's rampage. *Rick's license plate is 3E42. Goofs *The kind of emergency response vehicle that is seen at the beginning is closer to an ambulance than fire truck. While fire departments do use them, they could not be used to fight fires. *When Rick falls off the bridge, he falls down under the bridge rather than straight down. *After Ghost Rider leaves the bridge, Rick is lit from the front despite the light being behind him. *When Gargoyle drops the computer, it bounces around more like a ball in a pinball machine rather than computer. *The patch on the officer's shoulder who interviews the nun goes blank between shots. *When Rick Jones first confronts Ghost Rider, there is a brief moment when Ghost Rider's head fire appears behind his jacket. *There is no desert close enough to Chicago for Leader and General Ross to hear about Hulk, send Gargoyle's bugs and Talbot in that particular copter, and get to the city within the same night with time to have a major battle. *As Rick gets ready to jump the police line, the roof is rather small in the wide shot and has maybe four windows on each side. When he makes the jump there's at least six. *There's no way a helicopter would smash through seven floors from that height. *Also, if a helicopter did smash all that way through a building the structure would likely collapse right away. *While in the helicopter, Doc Samson's eyes appear green in the shot with Betty but blue in the following close-up. *When Bruce Banner sees Glenn Talbot, he is still green. However, he seems to be continuously going between himself and Hulk and the skin color may be a side effect. Bruce is again green when Rick finds him under the rubble. *Glenn Talbot disappeared in the shot right after Ghost Rider grabs him. *Hulk smashing the building somehow causes an explosion. *Somehow, Doc Samson changes clothes while piloting the helicopter. *When Betty Ross first sees Ghost Rider, the view she is looking at would be from ground level, not a helicopter. *When Ghost Rider drops Glenn Talbot after giving him Penance Stare, the major's mustache is much thicker than the pencil thin one he had a second before. It stays this way when Betty and Samson land. *Many times throughout the episode, Hulk is talking but his mouth is not moving. *Hair does not contain any DNA. It has to have some of the hair follicle on it. Continuity *Ghost Rider had a cameo in 's in the memories of Gambit. *Ghost Rider's appearance is a continuation from his appearance on 's . That episode also featured Thor who would appear in . Both voice actors reprise their roles. *The abandoned lab is from and Part Two. *First mention of Gargoyle's life as a Russian scientist. *The flashbacks of both Glenn Talbot and Bruce Banner are from and Part Two and . *First episode showing Doc Samson's own super strength. *Leader gets a sample of Hulk's DNA to make an army of gamma soldiers, who first appear in . *Spider-Man often found comfort in a stone gargoyle named Bruce as Hulk does. Background Richard Grieco reprised his voice from . Ghost Rider's appearance in this episode and were to serve as a backdoor pilot for a series that never materialized. Director Rich Trueblood was producer of . In the comics, the various Ghost Riders don't usually wear helmets while in their normal form. During the credits, which usually show clips from the episode, there is a shot of Daniel Ketch's face transforming into the flaming skull. However, in the episode, he was wearing his helmet at this time. Likely, it was originally animated without the helmet and one was added in later due to concerns over various helmet laws. Cast : Reception Marvel Animation Age's "Stu" called the episode one of the series' best. He felt that all of the guest stars on the episode worked well, and Ghost Rider was one of the best. He liked that Bruce traveled to all the guests stars rather than on where they all came to New York. He enjoyed the continuity between this episode and and liked Greico's voice. He found the story interesting, especially not seeing what summoned Ghost Rider, and loved the ending. He liked the idea of having to hurt Hulk emotionally to get him angrier. "The characters are developed, rounded characters, each with strong motivations. It's a shame this was forgotten about towards the end of the show's run, but this first season features so few bad episodes, it’s a shame it wasn't as popular as it should've been." The episode has a 8.2 on TV.com and 8.1 on the Internet Movie Database. External Links *Marvel Animation Age *TV.com *Internet Movie Database *Marvel Database *Hulk Wiki Category:The Incredible Hulk Episodes